Tail cutter for winding machines



April 14, 1953 J. w. MAY 2,634,917

TAIL CUTTER FOR WINDING MACHINES Filed Aug. 16, 1950 JOHN M/ M4 y. im Jue ATTOR .\'EY5 gatented pr. 14, 1953 TAIL CUTTER FOR WINDING MACHINES John W. May, Pendleton, S. C., assignor to Deering Milliken Research Trust, Pendleton, S. C., a nonprofit trust of Maine Application August 16, 1950, Serial No. 179,671

8 Claims. (Cl. 242-19) This invention relates to improvements in windrlgmachines and more especially to a tail cutter for severing the tails of yarn which occur at the time of yarn being introduced to a bobbin on' a winding machine. This apparatus is particularly designed for use on a machine of the type such as is manufactured by Universal Winding Company and which is commonly known as a No. 90 Universal Winder.

' Winding machines, of the type described, are provided with spindles on which bobbins are manually mounted and onto which yarn is wound and as the bobbins are mounted on the spindles, a tail of the yarn is clampingly secured between the base of the bobbin and an enlarged portion at the base of the spindle. The type of bobbins usually employed, onto which the yarn is' wound include a base having a plurality of peripherally disposed axially spaced rings thereon across which the yarn is extended after having been clamped between the base of the bobbin and the enlarged portion of the spindle as it is wound onto the bobbin.

Upon a rbobbin being filled, it has, heretofore, been necessary to break the end or tail of yarn adjacent the base of the bobbin so as to not leave a tail of such length thereon as to interfere with weaving operations in which the bobbin is ladapted to be later employed. However, wth the introduction of many types of synthetic and heavily twisted yarns, it has been extremely' dicult for an operator to break these yarns and has often required the use of manual cutting devices.

It is, therefore, 'an object of this invention to provide a tail cutter for bobbin winding machines including a movable means having a plurality of projections thereon which are adapted to be moved into the spaces between the rings on the base of a bobbin and, also, including automatically operable means, upon a bobbin being filled with yarn, for moving the projections-,into position between the rings to thus enter the path of the tail of yarn extending across the peripheries of the rings for severing or breaking the same.

vIt 'is another object of this invention to provide a ta-il cutter of the type described for a Winding machine having a stopping lever and also having means for moving the stopping lever towards the base of a bobbin upon the bobbin having been filled, the tail cutter including a blade supporting member pivoted on the frame of the-.machine and having a blade thereon provided with a plurality -of projections which are normally disposed in spaced relation to the rings; on the base of a bobbin onto which yarn is being wound, the blade supporting vmeans having means. thereon engageable by the stopping lever upon a bobbin being filled with yarn to thus move the projections on the blade into operative position between the rings on the base of the bobbin and in closely spaced relation thereto so as to be engaged by the tail of yarn extending across the peripheries of said'rings for severing'the tail of yarn automatically Without engaging and damaging the bobbin or the rings thereon.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the. description proceeds when taken in connection,

with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of a winding machine showing the tail cutter in association therewith with many of the parts broken away and others being omitted for purposes of clarity;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the tail cutter in elevation and being taken substantially along the line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an isometric view of the tail cutter removed from the Winding machine and also looking at the opposite end from that shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 4 4 in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing a modified form of blade for effecting the tail cutting operation.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral l0 indicates the framework of a semi-automatic winding machine of a type having one or more spindles on which bobbins are positioned manually, and including conventional means, not shown, for imparting rotation to the bobbin as yarn is wound thereon after it has been positioned on the spindle thereof to be presently described. Although the tail cutter is shown in association with a machine 'of a type such as is manufactured by Universal Wind-1 ing Company, Providence, R. I., and known as` their No. winding machine, it is to be understood that the present invention may be used with many other types of Winding machines, the type of winding machine in the drawings being shown by way of illustration only.

The frame I0 of the winding machine includes a casing H which houses conventional cams and gearing, not shown, for driving the various conventional parts of the machine. An arm I2 extends outwardly from the casing and has an upwardly projecting end portion I3 integral therewith which projects towards the observer in Figure 1. The casing and the portion |3 of the arm I2 support a conventional manually operable starting lever I5, a conventional bobbin traverse bar I6 and a conventional sizing lever rod I1. The bobbin traverse bar I3 supports a conventional yarn feed carriage, only a portion 23 of which is shown in Figure 1 for directing yarn to a bobbin 23 which is adapted to be mounted on a conventional spindle 2| projecting from the casing |I.

This spindle 2| has an enlarged base portion 22 integral therewith against which a base 23 of the bobbin 20 is adapted to be moved by an operator when the bobbin is manually mounted on the spindle 2 I. Prior to the base 23 of the bobbin 20 being moved against the enlarged portion 22 of the spindle 2 I the operator holds a tail of yarn in Vsuch a manner that it will be clampingly secured between 4the base 23 of the bobbin 2|) and the enlarged portion 22 of the spindle 2| and this tail portion, indicated at T in Figures 1 and '2, will extend across the outer peripheries of a plurality of longitudinally spaced rings 23 which encircle the base 23 of the bobbin 23, the yarn then being fed to the bobbin as rotation is imparted to the spindle 2| and its associated bobbin 20 by conventional driving means, not shown, disposed within the casing II. This driving vmeans is controlled by the starting lever I5.

The portion 23 of the frame of the yarn feeding carriage shown in Figure 1 is mounted for movement 'lengthwise of the traverse bar I3 and is adapted to engage a conventional sizing lever or block 21 iixedly mounted on the sizing lever rod I1. The `sizing lever rod has longitudinal sliding movement in the casing and the projection I3 at the end of the arm I2, and, upon the frame 26 of the yarn feed carriage engaging the sizing lever 21, the sizing lever rod |1 is caused to move downwardly in Figure 1 or towards the observer in Figure 2.

Now, this sizing lever rod I1 has a lever lifting cam 30 xedly mounted thereon, the tapered front face of which is adapted to engage the lower edge of a conventional stopping lever 3|. This stopping lever 3| is pivotally mounted, as at 32, on the iront face of the casing and, when the lower edge thereof is engaged by the cam 30, the stopping lever 3| will move in a counter-clockwise direction to assume substantially the position shown in Figure 2, the right-hand end of this stopping lever normally being disposed at a lower elevation than that shown in Figure 2 when it is not engaged by the cam 3|).

A s the sizing lever rod |1 is moved forwardly, or downwardly in Figure 1, by means of the frame 26 of the yarn feeding carriage engaging the sizing lever 21, this will also effect movement of conventional means not shown disposed within the casing to stop rotation of the spindle 2|. The lower portion of the casing in Figure 2 is provided with a pair of spaced threaded bores 35, only one of which is shown in Figure 2 and both of which are shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. The threaded bores 35 are usually employed in lsupporting a conventional overend disk tension which is rarely used on this machine and one of these bores 35 may be employed in supporting the tail cutter, to be presently described, thereby obviating the necessity of drilling special holes in I the machine or changing the machine in any way whatsoever for accommodating the tail cutter.

The parts heretofore described are conventional parts of a winding machine with which the present invention is adapted to be associated, many of the conventional parts of the machine being omitted from the drawings since they are not pertinent to the invention and, also, for purposes of clarity.

The tail cutter is broadly designated at 36 and includes a .shaft or stud 131 having Ya lreduced end thereof being nattened at opposed sides thereof, as at Lil, for reception of a suitable wrench or other device for tightening the threaded Vend .All of the shaft 31 into one of the threaded bores 35 in the frame I0. Leg portions 42 and 3310i. a substantially U-shaped blade supporting member 44 are oscillatably mounted intermediate their ends on the shaft 31.

In this instance, the blade supporting member 34 is made of a sheet material, such as sheet metal or the like, and the leg portions 42 and A3 thereof each have a semi-circular bearing ,pore tion 46 intermediate the ends thereof which is adapted to extend substantially 'half around the corresponding portions of the shaft `31. A suitable bearing member 41 is also formed ina semicircular manner, as at 50, intermediate the ends thereof and is Welded at opposed ends 'thereof tothe respective legs 42 Vand G3 to thus C Onne the blade supporting member '48 on theshaft 31.

In order to prevent excessive endw'ise movement of the blade supporting member '44, the legs t2 and 43 of the blade are spaced apart from each other and a spacing sleeve '5| is adjustably secured on the medial portion ofthe vshaft '31 as by a screw 52, between the proximate edges nof the leg portions 32 and 43 of the blade supporting member 44. It will be observed, `in'Figure 1, that the sleeve 5| is of less length than the distance between the proximate edges of the legs V412 and 43 so as to permit a relatively .slight .endwise movement of the blade supporting member '44 zso the blade thereon, to be `presently described. may be self-alining with respect to the spaced rings Z4 encircling the base 23 0f the bobbin 20. The set screw 52 in the sleeve 5| is shown in a different position relative vto the shaft 31 in Figure 3 from which it is shown in Figures 1 and 2 fOr purposes of illustration.

The blade supporting member 44 lhas a rearwardly projecting curved cam portion 54 integral therewith which, when the threaded end 4.0 of the shaft 31 is inserted in the threaded 'bore 35 shown in Figure 1, will be disposed in the vertical' blade supporting member 44 so as to not linter-` fere with operation of the' stopping lever 3|.

The blade supporting member 44 has a substantially flat rectangular 'blade 56 suitably secured thereto, as by rivets 51. of the blade 53 has an upwardly projecting portion 6) integral therewith which is provided witha plurality of spaced semi-circular cavities or notches 5| in the outer edge thereof, these cavities 6| defining a plurality of spaced substantially flatended projections or prongs 62.

The free or workingend- In order to insure eiiicient operation of the tail cutter, it is preferred that the projections 50 of the blade 5 lbe disposed in radial alinement with the axis of the spindle 2l when the blade is moved into operative position as shown in Figure 2.

Now, referring to Figure 5, there is shown a modified form of blade indicated at 66 which may be employed in lieu or the blade 5S. This blade 56 may be secured to the blade supporting member 44, by any suitable means such as rivets El, and also has an upwardly or outwardly projecting portion 'Ill integral therewith. This upwardly projecting portion 1D has a plurality of substantially :dat-bottomed cavities or notches 'il in the upper edge thereof which define a plurality of substantially V-shaped projections l2, these projections '|'2 being adapted to enter between the rings 24 on the base 23 of the bobbin 20 in a tail cutting operation.

In operation, the tail cutter is adjusted by bending the cam portion 5d of the sheet material of the blade supporting member lid, this sheet material preferably being ilexible for this purpose, so the free ends of the projections 62 or l2, as the case may be, will be disposed in closely spaced relation to the periphery of the base 23 of the .bobbin when the arm 55 of the stopping lever 3! is in a raised position as shown in Figure 2. This will insure that the free ends of the projections S2 or l2, as the case may be, will not engage and damage the peripheral surface of the base 23 of the bobbin 28. It is preferred that the depth of the notches 6i or l I, as the case may be, be such that they will upon the corresponding blade being moved into operative position relative to the head 23 of the bobbin 2G, be disposed in precise closely spaced relation to the peripheries of the rings 24 on the head of the bobbin. This will insure that the tail portion T of the yarn being wound onto the bobbin will be engaged by the projections 52 or 12, as the case may be, to either cut or break the tail in a tail severing operation.

The blade 56 or 66, as the case may be, is normally position in spaced relation to the base 23 and rings 24 of the bobbin 2li when it is mounted on the spindle 2| so as to not interfere with replacing the bobbin on the spindle and so that it will not cut the tail T of the yarn extending across the rings 24 until the arm 55 of the stopping lever is moved upwardly upon stopping the machine, u

which happens as the result of a bobbin being filled in the manner heretofore described or by manipulation of the starting lever I5.

It is thus seen that I have provided a tail cutter for Winding machines which may be easily and economically constructed and installed on certain types of winding machines without requiring any alterations of the existing winding machines. Also, I have provided a tail cutter which may be operated through the medium of conventional parts of the winding machine and accurately adjusted by bending the cam projection 54 on the blade supporting member 44 so the projections on the blade may pass adjacent opposed sides of each of the rings 24 on the base 23 of the bobbin 29 and so the free edges of the projections may be disposedin closely spaced relation to the base of the bobbin and thus will not damage the bobbin in a tail cutting operation.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive s ense only, and not for purposesof limitation, the

scope of the invention being 'deiined inthe claims.

I claim: l

1. In a winding machine foi-,Winding yarn on bobbins having a base provided with a plurality of spaced rings encircling the base of the bobbin and across which the tail of the yarn is passed at the beginning of a Winding operation, said winding machine having a stopping lever and also having means automatically operable for moving the stopping lever in one direction upon a bobbin being filled with yarn, movable means mounted adjacent the base of the bobbin and having a plurality of projections thereon adapted to pass between the rings simultaneously, said movable means being engageable by the stopping lever and and normally positioned in spaced relation to the rings and means responsive to movement ofthe stopping lever 'upon completion of winding of yarn on a bobbin for causing all of the projections to pass between the rings simultaneously and into the path of the tail of yarn to break the same.

2. In a winding machine having means for receiving bobbins having a base provided with aplurality of spaced rings encircling the base of the bobbin and also having means for feeding yarn to the bobbin and whereby the tail of the yarn at the beginning of a winding operation is passed across the spaced rings, said machine also having means for imparting rotation to the bobbin on which yarn is being wound and also having a stopping lever provided with an arm extending beneath the bobbin and also having means automatically operable upon the completion of winding of yarn on a bobbin for causing said arm on the stopping lever to be moved towards the base of the bobbin, a tail cutter comprising a shaft extending frcm the machine in parallel relation to the axis of said bobbin, a blade supporting member pivotally mounted on said shaft, means on the blade supporting member normally resting against the upper surface of said arm of the stopping lever, a blade secured to the free end of said blade supporting member and being provided with a plurality of spaced projections thereon, and said projections being disposed substantially radially of the axis of said bobbin whereby, upon the completion of winding of yarn'on the bobbin, the arm of said stopping lever will move the blade supporting member to cause the projections on the blade supported thereby to enter between the rings into the path of the tail of yarn for severing the same.

3. In a winding machine having means :toi-.reey ceiving bobbins having a base provided with av plurality of spaced rings encircling the base of the bobbin and also having means for feeding yarn .to the bobbin and whereby the tail of the yarn at the beginning of a winding operation is passed across the spaced rings, said machine also having means for imparting rotation to the bobbin on which yarn is being wound and also having a stopping lever. provided with an arm extending beneath the bob-r bin and also having means automatically opere; able upon the completion of winding of yarn on abobbin for causing said arm on the stopping lever to be moved towards the base of the bobbin, a tail cutter comprising a shaft extending from the machine below the plane of a bobbin on which yarn is being wound and in parallel relation to the axis of said bobbin, a blade supporting member pivotally mounted on said shaft, means on the blade supporting member normally restingagamst the upper surface of said arm of the stopping lever, a blade secured to the free end of said blade supporting member and being provided with., a plurality of spaced projections thereon, said- .proections being ldisposed .substantially radially of the axis of said bobbin whereby upon l.the comapletion ,of 'windingof yarn on the bobbin, the .arm `ot ysaid stopping lever 'will lmove the `blade sup'- aportingmember to cause the projections on the blade supported thereby to enter between the gings into the path :of Vthe tail of yarn for severfing the .same :and Asaidprojections beinglat-.ended :and denning :a epluraIit-y of .spaced :substantially semiacircular notches of ysuch .depth :as to be disposedin closely spaced relation to the peripheries lof the .rings when Athe .projections therebetween are :moved into yposit-ion between the .rings in ya tail cutting operation..

4, .Ina winding machine having means for receiving -bobbins Ihaving a base .provided with a plurality of spaced rings vencircling the base of the bobbin fand also having means .for feeding yarn to the bobbin and whereby .the tail of the yarn at gthe :beginning of Va winding operation is passed .across fthe-spaced rings, said machine also having means -or imparting rotation to the bob- `loinion which yarn is being wound and also having a stopping lever provided with an arm extending .beneath the bobbin and Aalso having means automatically operable upon the completion :of Winding of yarn lon Ia bobbin for causing said arm .on the .stopping lever to be moved towards :the base of the bobbin, a tail cutter comprising -ashaftextending from the machine ,below ,the plane `of ya bobbin Aon which yarn Ais being wound .and parallel relation to the axis of said bobbin. a blade supporting member pivotally mounted on said shaft, ymeans on the blade supporting .member vnormally resting against the upper surface .of said arm ofthe stopping lever, a blade secured to :the vfree .end of said blade suppdrting member and being provided with a plurality .of spaced projections thereon, said projections being disposed substantially radially of the aaxis v'of said bobbin whereby, upon the completion :of winding of yarn on the bobbin, the arm of said :stopping lever will move the blade supporting .member -to cause the projections on the .blade .supported thereby to enter between the rings into the path'of the tail of Vyarn forsevering the same, and .said blade .supporting member being of a .flexible material so the means thereon engaging the yupper surface of the arm of the stopping lever maybe bent adjustably relative to the .blade supported .by the blade supporting member so the projections on the blade will, upon a tail cutting operation, assume a Yposition in prec-ise closely spaced relation to the periphery of the basesof'the bobbin.

'.5. In a winding machine having means for receiving bobbins having a base provided with a plurality of spaced rings encircling the base of the bobbin .and .also having means for feeding yarn to .the vbobbin and whereby the tail of the yarn at the beginning of a winding operation is .passed across .the spaced rings, said machine also having Y,means for imparting Vrotation to the bobbin on which yyarn is being wound and also 'having a' the stopping lever to be moved towards the baseof the bobbin, a tail cutter comprising a shaft extending from the machine below lthe plane of a bobbin on which yarn is being wound and in parallel relation `to the axis of said bobbin, a

blade supporting member pivotally mounted on said shaft, A'means von the blade supporting lmember :normally resting against the upper surface Tof .said arm .of the stopping lever, a blade secured to the free end of said blade supporting vmember and being provided with a plurality of spaced projections thereon, said projections .being disposed substantially radially of the axis vof said bobbin whereby, upon the completion of winding of yarn on the bobbin, the arm yof said stopping lever will kmove the .blade supporting Ymember `to ycause the projections on the blade supported thereby to enter between -the rings .into the lpath vof .the tail of yarn .for severing the same, said projections on the blade .being substantially -V- shaped Iwith their pointed ends extending outwardly and deiining notches therebetween which are adapted .to .'surmount the peripheries of :the rings as the projections are passed `therebetween in a tail .cutting operation.

l6. VIn a -Winding machine for Vwinding yarn .on a bobbin having a base provided with a plurality of spaced rings encircling the base ofthe vbobbin and across which vthe tail of yarn is passed at the beginning of a winding operation,.said winding machine having a stopping lever thereonand also having means for moving the stopping lever towards the base of .a .bobbin on which yarn is being Wound and also lhaving means for imparting rotation to A.the bobbin, a blade supporting member pivotally supported on the machine, a blade provided with a plurality of spaced [projections thereon secured to the :tree end of ysaid blade supporting member, means on the blade supporting member normally engaging the stopping lever 'and Asaid blade .normally being disposed in spaced `relation to Athe rings on the bobbin whereby, upon movement of the stopping lever toward the base of the bobbin, the projections on the blade will be moved adjacent opposed sides of each of the rings and into the path of the tail of yarn on the rotating bobbin to break the yarn, a shaft projecting from said machine in parallel spaced relation to the bobbin on which yarn is being wound, said blade supporting member having a .pair1 of outwardly -projecting legs thereon which are slidably penetrated by said shaft for supporting the blade supporting member, a spacing member adjust-l ably secured on said shaft between the legs of the blade supporting member, said spacing member being of less length than the distance be-v tween the proximate edges of said legs to permit a relatively slight amount of endwise movement of said legs on the shaft so the projections on said blade, upon being moved into position between the rings on the bobbin may be guidedinto operating position between Ythe rings by engagement with the rings, the spacing member serving to laline the projections on the blade substantially with the spaces between the rings on the bobbin onto which yarn is being wound.

7. In a winding machine for winding yarn on a bobbin having a base provided with a plurality of spaced rings encircling the base of the bobbin and across which the tail of yarn is passed atr the beginning of a winding operation, saidw-inding machine having a lever thereon and also' bobbin, means on the blade supporting memberv engageable by the `lever` and said blade normally being disposed in spaced relation to the rings on the bobbin whereby, upon movement of the lever toward the base of the bobbin, all of the projections on the blade will be moved between opposed sides of adjacent rings simultaneously and into the path of the tail of yarn on the rotating bobbin to break the yarn.

8. In a winding machine for winding yarn on a bobbin having a base provided with a plurality of spaced rings encircling the base of the bobbin and across which the tail of yarn is passed at the beginning of a winding operation, said winding machine having a stopping lever thereon and also having means for moving the stopping lever towards the base of a bobbin on which yarn is being wound and also having means for imparting rotation to the bobbin, a blade supporting member pivotally supported on the machine, a blade `provided with a plurality of sp-aced projections thereon secured to the free end of said blade supporting member, means on the blade supporting member normally engaging the stopping lever and said blade normally being disposed in spaced relation to the rings on the bobbin whereby, upon movement of the stopping lever toward the base of the bobbin, the projections on the blade will be moved adjacent opposed sides of each of the rings and into the path of the tail of yarn on the rotating bobbin to break the yarn, a shaft projecting from said machine in parallel spaced relation to the bobbin on which yarn is being wound, said blade supporting 10 member having a pair of outwardly projecting legs thereon which are slidably penetrated by said shaft for supporting the blade supporting member, a spacing member adjustably secured on said shaft between the legs of the blade supporting member, said spacing member being of less length than the distance between the proximate edges of said legs to permit a relatively slight amount of endwise movement of said legs on the shaft so the projections on said blade, upon being moved into position between the rings on the bobbin may be guided into operating position between the rings by engagement with the rings, the spacing member serving to aline the projections on the blade substantially with the spaces between the rings on the bobbin onto which yarn is being wound, at least one of said legs extending beyond the shaft relative to the blade to partially counterbalance the weight of the blade on the blade supporting member.

JOHN W. MAY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Numbel" 

